Differential-gear lock.



LE ROY E; an. e. PETERS.

DIFFERENHAL GEAR LOCK. APPLICATION FILED Fig.8. 1915.

' Patented Feb. 8,1916.

LE ROY E. PETERS AND RAYMOND C. PETERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DIFFERENTIAL-GEAR ooK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

Application filed February 8, 1915; Serial No. 6,906.

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we. Ln RoY E. PETERS and Rxrnoxn C." Pn'rnns, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Differential-Gear Locks; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a differential gear lock.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a device of this character by means of which the two parts of the rear axle mav be locked together.

With this and other objects in view, such as will appear as the description progresses, our invention comprises the combination and arrangement of parts as set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the gears and the manner in which our device is applied thereto. the clutching member being disengaged so as to allow'the portions of the rear axles to rotate independently. Fig. 2

.is a longitudinal sectional view showing the clutch 1n engagement. Fig. 351s an elevational view of the gear in which the clutch member is formed. Fig. 4; is an end elevation .of the clutch member.- Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 1, showing the manner of mounting the operating rod in one axle portion. Fig. 6 is a section on lnne 6-6 of Fig. 1, showing the mounting of the shipper member.

Referring to the drawing wherein like parts are indicated by like, characters throughout the several views: Thetwo portions of the drive axle are indicated by the reference cha 'acters' 1 and 2 which extend into a suitab e gear casing 3 having gears 4 and 5 mounted, respectively, on the squared ends thereof. These gears are arranged to face each other in the usual manner and intermesh with the beveled gears' gear 5 is provided with achambjr 8 which is arranged in the face thereof adjacent the gear 4. The portion 2 of the axle extends through the gear 5 and into a chamber 9 in the face of the gear 4:- The exte nding'end 10 of this portion 2 of the axle is of octagonal formation. The chamber 9 is substantially of circular formation and is pro vided with a. plurality of teeth ll extending around the circular face of the same.

In order that the gears i and 5 may be clutched together we have mounted a clutch member 12, slidably, on the octagonal end 10 of the portion 2 of the axle. This clutch member is of substantially cylindrical formation and has a plain portion 12' and a toothed portion 13, the teeth of which are arranged to engage the teeth 11 in the chamber 9. The ends of the teeth on the portion 13 of the clutch member are rounded to facilitate their entry between the teeth 11. The plain portion 12 of the clutch member is normally located within the chamber 8 in the gear 5 and the toothed portion-13 is located in the space between the gears 4 and 5 when the axle portions are free to rotateindependently. This clutch member may be moved, however, on the octagonal portion 10 of the portion 2 of the axle so that the teeth on the clutch member engage tile teeth in the chamber 9 and consequently the portions 1 and 2 of the axle will be locked together. In order that this clutch member may be shifted back and forth we have provided the axle portion 2 with a longitudinally extending groove in which is slidgear 5 and is connectedlto, the clutch member. Secured to the axle jportion 2 within the casing 3 is a channeled collar 15 to which the rod 14 is secured by a screw or other suitable means 16.

I A shipper member 17 straddles the collar 15 and has its legs located in the channel therein. This shipper member is secured, as at 18, to a sliding rod 19 mounted in an oil"- set portion 20 of the casing 3. Encircling this rod is a coil spring 21 which-bears against the end of the shipper *member 17 and the opposite end of the casing to normally maintain the teeth on the clutch member out of engagement with the teeth in the chamber 9 of the gear 4. In order that the rod 19 may be operated against the tension of the spring 21 to cause the engagement of the clutch member and'the gear i'we have provided a. bell crank lever 22, which has a teem, meiiibe es connected the'r'eto; which memmnisx' Qnnected to a suitable pedal-,-

wi i in'thereachof the operator. it

.. Fromthe foregom descripti 'l be readily seen that .we ,have provided a gear lock'by means of which the difierential ears may-be locked. together "atftthe'. will the w qperator -and weg have ;further' "rovided:

means-fer manuallyjcontrollin'g sai locking. 4e

g ng thelelutchifrom, the clutch member in portion and automatic means tor disengag-1 the adjacent gear upon the release of the I operating means.

.- WhllQ WG have and described a articular'embodimentof our inventiomlwe' ve v.= merel,y--.donelso -for thesake of con-1 venienceand .we do not wish to be limited v. j to that particular embodiment as it is 0b-,

vious' that numerous changes may be made 1. The combination with a -two part driven axle havingits ends terminating in .spaced relation, of a differential gear-secured to jthefend of each portion of the axle, one'of said gears having a chamber therein provided; with a plurality of teeth around the face thereof, a clutch member slidably mounted on the end of the opposing portion or the axle and rotatable therewith, said clutch member havinga plurality flve cents each, bi addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

copies Intent may be obtained for a washlngtomnc.

Witnesses:

worm of teeth thereon arranged to engage the a channel in the adjacent gear and portion of the axle, a collar secured tov the said.- axle portion and to the said rod, and means for moving the collar'to shift theolutchmember into engagement with the teeth in the said "chamben,

2'. The combination with a two part axlei having the ends thereof in spaced relation,

of gears secured to' the said ends, gearsextending between and meshing with the. first mentioned gears on opposite sides thereof, one of'said gears havmg aclutch-ehamber therein, a clutch member slidablygmountnd on the en f th bi re in P h axle, a collar secured to'the said axle por-' tion, arod connecting the collar andv the teeth of the clutch member, a rod secured v to the clutchmember and extending through clutch member, a shipper member straddling the said collar, a casing, a rod slidably mounted in said" casing, means for se:

; curing the shipper member tothe said' rod and resilient means for moving; the ship er member. to disengage the clutch mem er from the aforementioned clutch chamber;

In testimony whereof, we aiiix our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses.

LE ROY E. PETERS. RAYMOND o. PETERS.

were 

